Means for balancing wheels



Feb. 12, 1952 p LOEWE 2,585,802

MEANS FOR BALANCING WHEELS Filed Nov. '7, 1945 @10ML/1 m wr/nys:

Patented Feb. 12, 1952 UNITED STATESy PATENT' OFFICE y o 2,585,802, MEANS Fon BALANCING- WHEELS Peter L. Loewe, OhicagoJlL Application November 7, 1945, SerialNo. 627,155

1 Claim. l

My invention relates to an improvement in counterweighting rotary members, including but not limited to vehicle wheels.

One purpose is to provide an improved counterweighting method applicable, for example, to automobile wheels.

Another' purpose is toprovide an improved method for locating and applying counterweights to automobile wheels.v

Other purposes will appear from time to time in the-.course of the specification and claim.

Il illustratezmy. inventionmore or less diagrammaticallyin the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a partial side elevation with parts broken away and parts in section;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 isV a` View from below of a part of the structurey shown in Figure 1;

Figure'` 4', is` a section similar to Figure 2 illustrating a variantr form` ofthe device;

Figure 5 is a partial view from below of the structure in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a perspective of an individual weight member;

Figure '7 is a perspective of another type of weight member;

Figure 8 is a partial section similar to Figure 4 illustrating an abutment adapted to receive the weight shown in Fig. 7; and

Figure 9 is a similar section illustrating a variant form of the device.

Like parts are indicated by like symbols throughout the specification and drawings.

Referring to the drawings, I generally indicates any suitable automobile wheel having a rim generally indicated as 2, with outward tire engaging offsets 3 and rim edge or tire gripping portions 4. 5 generally indicates an entire casing having edge portions 6 shown as abutting against the rim surfaces 3 and 4. Referring first to the form of Figures 1 to 3, 8 illustrates a pocket member which may, for example, be of sheet metal and which has a bottom wall 9 and an inner wall I0, an outer wall II and endwise projecting ears I2. The space surrounded by the walls 9, I0 and II and end wall portions I3 is filled by any suitable weight I4, which may be of metal such as lead, which may be poured into the pocket thus formed, when in a molten condition, or may otherwise be inserted. It will be understood that when a predetermined or desired quantity of weight material I4 has been positioned in the pocket of the member 8, the lugs or ears I2 may be spot welded or otherwise Cil secured tothe inner face. of the. rim portion 3,

after the user has: deteririined` where he wishes thezweight to be positioned.

.InY the form of Fig. 4 a securing weight abutment` member is illustrated, including a stem I5; and a head) Iii. vThe stem may be inserted intol the rim4 portionk at any desired position. For example a hole may be tapped in theV rim 3' and? the reduced inner end Il of the stem in- 1- serted'Y therein and then upset or otherwise secured', to hold; the stem I5 xed in position. Prior tosecuring the stem I5 in position one or more of the weights 2@ of Fig. 6 may be threadedl thereupon. Such Weights may be formed in any suitable shape butI find it convenient to employ a weight having a circumferential generally cylindrical surface 2i, a central aperture 22, and plane top and bottom faces 23.

It will alsoI beunderstood that, if desired, theV stem I5 may be applied to the portion 3 without first' adding vthe weights, and the weight or weights 2`5- shown in Fig. 7 may be employed. Each such weight is provided with anfopen slot 26;4 adapted to receive the stem I5. After the weight or weights 25 have been applied to the stem, the apertures or slots 26 may be somewhat closed about the pin I5, and the weight is thereby held in position until the user wishes to remove it.

As shown in Fig. 8 the pin may be welded to the rim portion 3. In Fig. 8, I illustrate a stem I5a with its head Ilia, the end of the stem being spot welded or otherwise secured directly to the portion 3. When the pin is thus welded it may be more desirable to use the weight 25 of Fig. 7 rather than the weight 20 of Fig. 6, to prevent any softening or loss of the material of the weight, lead being the preferred Weight material, and being subject to melting at the heat necessary to spot weld the ends of the pin |511. to the rim portion 3.

Referring to Fig. 9, I illustrate an alternative position of the weight, the stem 30 being directly secured to the rim portion 4, instead of the rim portion 3. In that event any suitable weight 3l may be positioned against and beneath the rim portion 4, the outward flare of the rim portion 4 being effective to take any centrifugal tendency of the weight 3| to move outwardly.

It will be realized that, whereas I have described and illustrated a practical and operative device, nevertheless many changes may be made in the size, shape, number and disposition of parts without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore wish my description and drawings the weight or weights can then be applied permanently or semipermanently to the rim or wheel. For example, a particular wheel may be tested on any suitable balance testing devices now available, and movable weights, of various mass,

may be secured to the wheel or rim and moved y thereabout, until the operator knows how many weights he should employ, the necessary mass of each individual weight, and the location of eachindividual weight. This information having been obtained, he then applies the necessary weight or weights permanently to the rim, preferably in such position that during the rotation of the wheel the centrifugal thrust is taken by the wheel or rim itself. Referring to the form of Figures 1 to 3, I illustrate a weight support in the form of a pocket, preferably of sheet metal, which may be spot welded or otherwise secured to the wheel or rim. This pocket member may be lled with a weight element I4 of the desired mass. For example a measured volume of molten lead or other suitable molten material may be poured into the pocket and permitted to harden. Or cold lead or other suitable material, cut to or formed to the proper size and shape, may be dropped into the pocket. Thereafter the pocket element as a whole is secured to the wheel rim. I nd it convenient to spot weld the pocket to the rim by employing the outwardly extending ears I2. However, they may be screwed, bolted or otherwise secured.

With reference to the form of Figs. 4 to 9 inclusive, I illustrate headed stems which may be welded to the wheel or rim, or tapped into the wheel or rim, or otherwise secured to it. Either before or after the end of the stem is secured to the rim, a weight or weights of the desired mass are positioned on the stem and between the head and the opposed portion of the rim or wheel. Whereas in Figs. 5 and 7, I have illustrated two satisfactory weight forms, it will be realized that the form of the weights employed may be widely varied.

I claim:

In combination with a metal wheel rim, a weight Aassembly secured thereto, including a metal weight support welded to said rim and a weight of heavier metal supported by said Weight support,l said weightV support being in the form of a container surrounding said weight and having outwardly extending portions welded to the face of the rim at points remote from said weight.

PETER. L. LOEWE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the OTHER REFERENCES Dynamic Balancing Simplified; Gisholt Method of Balancing Treatise #2, pages 13, 14 and 15; published by Gisholt Machine Co., Madison, Wis. Copyright 1926. Copy in 3D1-5B Division 45. 

